Guess who ran the 4.67?

**The Excellector** · 03-30-2013, 09:46 AM

http://blogs.nfl.com/2013/03/28/more...-day-workouts/

So, are 40 times overrated for ILBs or not hhhhmmmmm?

**The Excellector** · 03-30-2013, 09:58 AM

Personally, yes, I do think that 40 yard dash times are overrated for Linebackers. However, I found it interesting that people questioned Minter's athleticism, before using his poor 40 time at the combine as further confirmation for that criticism. Now, he's run a time even closer to Ogletree's (4.64 at Georgia's Pro day) and faster than Greene (4.7 at Rutgers Pro Day), both of whom are considered more athletic. As a matter of fact, it was equal to Arthur Brown's 40 time at K State's Pro Day.

**The Excellector** · 03-30-2013, 10:07 AM

While Brown had the better shuttle (4.31), Minter had the better vertical (34 1/2)

**MinnesotaRaven** · 03-30-2013, 10:11 AM

Jarret Johnson ran a 4.8. He seemed to play well here. I was looking at all the Ravens LB picks over the years. The guys were ran the fastest times (besides Ray Lewis) were all gone. No good. T. Gooden, A. Barns, etc. They were fast but could play. J. Johnson could play. Ellerbe was in the 4.6+ range as well.

**lobachevsky** · 03-30-2013, 11:15 AM

You can't teach pure speed, but really, what does a fast 40-yard time for an ILB signify outside of the probably futile pursuit of a ball carrier who's broken through into the secondary? How fast a prospect can cover the first 10 yards or so--& more to the point, how quickly he can read a play & react to it & how nimble he is at slipping blocks--is IMHO far more important.

**Doctor** · 03-30-2013, 11:29 AM

Give a (soon-to-be) professional athlete a couple of months to specifically train for one event, and that athlete will do it well.

A fast 40 (or a slow one for that matter) doesn't change how he plays on the field, and from my perspectiv, having watched multiple full games doing nothing but paying close attention to Minter, he is not an impact defender worthy of a 1st round pick. He would be a nice complimentary player who is a steady, run-stuffing 2-down ILB.

For my money, that type of player is good value in the 3rd or 4th. A (slightly) faster 40 yard dash does nothing to change that.

**alien bird** · 03-30-2013, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by Doctor

Give a (soon-to-be) professional athlete a couple of months to specifically train for one event, and that athlete will do it well.

Vontaze Burfict would disagree.

**srobert96** · 03-30-2013, 10:35 AM

ILB is more about instinct than about athleticism. Safety and ILB are positions where instincts far outweigh athleticism. A false step is like adding a half second to a 40.

**ursula** · 03-30-2013, 11:08 AM

Two things:

1) With Pro Days you have players often running on tracks or surfaces that are faster than what the combine uses in Indy. For instance until this year USC used a track. So seriously, buyer beware with Pro Day 40 times. I am sure the teams know this and adjust accordingly, but this is rarely reported by the press. And, yes, LSU's surface they use for their 40's is faster than most.

2) 40 times are in fact important to an ILB in two ways. The first is sideline-to-sideline coverage against the run. A guy who runs say a 4.8 will struggle to run sideline to sideline because he simply ain't fast enough. The second is being able to cover TEs, RBs, and possibly slot receivers. If you ain't fast enough then, no you can't cover those receivers and you become a 2 down ILB at best.

Obviously other factors come into play besides just speed. For example Ogletree is criticized for often taking a wrong initial first step. In the SEC he could usually make up for it with his speed. In the NFL? He has to learn how to diagnose plays better pre-snap or he's toast. srobert96 says as much right above my post. On the other hand, you can learn to play faster and that is one of the reasons why the Ravens are able to coach up so many undrafted fre agent ILB's.

40 times are a very good base to work off of in assessing how good an ILB might become.

**Raveninwoodlawn** · 03-30-2013, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by ursula

Two things:

1) With Pro Days you have players often running on tracks or surfaces that are faster than what the combine uses in Indy. For instance until this year USC used a track. So seriously, buyer beware with Pro Day 40 times. I am sure the teams know this and adjust accordingly, but this is rarely reported by the press. And, yes, LSU's surface they use for their 40's is faster than most.

2) 40 times are in fact important to an ILB in two ways. The first is sideline-to-sideline coverage against the run. A guy who runs say a 4.8 will struggle to run sideline to sideline because he simply ain't fast enough. The second is being able to cover TEs, RBs, and possibly slot receivers. If you ain't fast enough then, no you can't cover those receivers and you become a 2 down ILB at best.

Obviously other factors come into play besides just speed. For example Ogletree is criticized for often taking a wrong initial first step. In the SEC he could usually make up for it with his speed. In the NFL? He has to learn how to diagnose plays better pre-snap or he's toast. srobert96 says as much right above my post. On the other hand, you can learn to play faster and that is one of the reasons why the Ravens are able to coach up so many undrafted fre agent ILB's.

40 times are a very good base to work off of in assessing how good an ILB might become.

I agree.

I mean I think Minter will be a solid starter, but I don't care what the workout numbers are, saying he is just as athletic as some of those others doesn't pass the eye test on film at all.

**The Excellector** · 03-30-2013, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by Raveninwoodlawn

I agree.

I mean I think Minter will be a solid starter, but I don't care what the workout numbers are, saying he is just as athletic as some of those others doesn't pass the eye test on film at all.

My point was that he isn't the only guy you can place under those circumstances. However, his 'average' combine numbers were used to prove a point in discussions on the board, where other players who did not play as fast were not treated the same.

**blacknpurplepain** · 03-31-2013, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

if New England hadn't traded up to get him? Slow poke Dont'a Hightower. Back to the point, in this first scenario, Ozzie will once again rely on UDFAs to fill spots at ILB.

Can you post the link to the article where anyone in the FO stated this.

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